Shield for bearing-bars of painters  scaffolds



2 Sheets--Sheet 1..

(No Model.) I

. M. F. SMITH. l SHIELD FOR BEARING BARS OF PAINTERS- SGAFPOLDS.

No. 363,179. Patented May 17, 1887.

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` A. rv l (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

MQF. SMITH.` SHIELD FOR BEARING BARS 0F PMNTBRS SGAEFOLDS.,

No. 363,179. Patented Mey 17, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE@ MILLARD F. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,179, dated May 17,1887.

Application tled March 8, 1887. Serial No. 230,082. (No model.)

y .To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Bc it known that I, MILLARD F. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Shields for Bearing Bars of Painters Scaifolds, of whichthe following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an effective means whereby thebearing-bar of a l painter-s scaffold is prevented from abrading orotherwise marring the surface of a wall in front of which the scaffoldis hung, and this object I attain in the manner which I will now proceedto describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-Iigure 1 shows a painters scaffold the bean ingbars of which areprovided with shields or guards constructed in accordance with myinvention, Fig. 2 being a perspective view, on a larger scale, of one ofthe bearingbars and its shield; and Fig. 3, a transverse section of thesame as applied to the scaffold.

A represents the frame ofthe scaffold,which is constructed in the usualmanner, and has neareach end a yoke, ,which is hung by means of suitabletackle to the curved suspensionhooks b, which bear upon the roof orother availableportion ofa building in front ofwhich the scaffold is tobe suspended.

Near each end of the scaffold is a bar, B, which projects inward beyondthe scaffold, the inner ends of these bars usually bearing against thewall of the building, so that said bars serve to maintain the scaffoldat`its proper distance from such wall. The lateral and vertical swayingof the scaffold, however, causes the inner ends of the bearingbars tomove about over the surface of the wall and to scratch, abrade, orotherwise mar the same, andthis objection is only in a measure overcomeby providing the inner or vbearing ends of the bars with pads, cushions,rubber rollers, or equivalent devices. In carrying out my invention,therefore, I discard the usual expedient of a pad or equivalent devicemoving with the'pbar and employ a shield or guard, the normal positionof which on the wall is fixed, the inner end of the bearing-bar movingover the surface of this shield as the scaffold sways or tilts.

Each shield consists in the present instance` of a plate, D, of anysuitable material, preferably metal, this plate being provided on that'side adjacent to the wall with a facing or coating of felt, rubber,leather, cloth, cork, or equivalent material which will present a goodfrictional surface. Each shield is hung by means of springs d from theouter ends of arms F, which are mounted upon the top of the bearing-barand suitably braced, so that their outer ends are at a proper heightabove the shield, the latter being so supported that the outer end ofthe bearingvbar will under ordinary cir cumstances occupy a positionabout the center of the shield.

The bar B has near its outer endl laterallyprojecting arms G, the outerend of each of which is connected by means of springs f to the adjacentupper and lower corners of the shield. The arms F thus serve to supportthe shield in its proper vertical relation to the bearing-bar B, whilethe arms G serve to retain the shield in its proper lateral or sidewis'eposition in respect to said bar. The pressure of the bar against theshield causes such a frictional hold of the padded face of said shieldupon the wall that any lateral or vertical movement of the.

bearing-bar will not cause alike movement of the shield, but will simplycause the stretch ing of one or more of the springconnections betweenthe shield and its supportingarms, said shield remaining stationary andthe end of the bartravelingovcr the face ofthesame; hence it will beevident that there can be no such scratching or marring of the surfaceof the wall as might be caused by a pad or cushion traveling with thebearingbar.

The bearing-bars B are secured to the frame of the scaffold by means ofscrew-clam ps g, the stems of which are adapted to slotsi in thebearing-bars, so that the bars can be adj usted in respect to thescaffold so as to project to any desired extent inward from thescaffold, and thus hold the latter at any required distance from theface of the wall.

Springvconnections between the arms F and G and the shield will not benecessary if said arms themselves possess a proper amount of elasticity,and the arms G and their connections may even be dispensed with in somecases, although their use is preferred, as'tending to aid inpreservingthe proper relation between the shield and. bearing-bar. Asingle arm, F,

might also, if desired, be used in place of the two arms shown, this armhaving a single eon- ICO nection with the center of the shield at thetop; or two connections leading to the opposite upper corners of theshield, as desired, the construction shown, however, being preferred.

I claim as my invention-- 1'. The combination of the bearingAb/ar of apainters scaffold, a shield for the end of the same, and an elasticsupport for said shield carried by the bar, all substantially asspecified.

2. The combination of the bearing-bar of a painters scaffold, a shieldtherefor having a frictional face for bearing against the wall, and anelastic support for said shield carried by the bar, all substantially asspecified.

3. The combination of the bearing-bar of a painters scaffold, a looseshield at the inner end of the same, an arm projecting above the bar,and a connection between the end of said arm andthe shield, allsubstantially as specified.

4'. The combination of the bearing-bar of a painters scaffold, a looseshield at the inner end of the same, one or more arms projecting Aabovethe bar, arms projecting laterally beyond the bar, and a connectionbetween the end of each of said arms and the shield, alllsubstantiallyas specified.k t

5. r[he combination of the bearing-bar of a painter-s scaffold, one'ormore arms projecting above the same, laterally-projecting arms on thebar, vand a spring interposed between the end of each of said armsandthe shield, all substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

. MILLARD F. SMITH.

VVitnesSeS:

WILLIAM D. CONNER, HARRY SMITH.

